Morocco received 4.3 million tourists in the first three months of this year, up 7% from a year earlier, the tourism ministry said on Friday, even as tensions in the Gulf have weighed on air traffic and travel costs globally.

Despite this backdrop, Morocco recorded an 18% rise in tourist arrivals in March, according to a tourism ministry statement.

The ministry attributed the growth to strengthened air ​connectivity, a diversification of source markets, ​and improved accommodation and entertainment offerings across ‌the ⁠country.

Tourism revenue reached 21.4 billion dirhams ($2.3 billion) by the end of February, up 22.2% from a year earlier, ​according to ​foreign ⁠exchange regulator data.

Morocco was the most visited country in ​Africa last year, attracting 19.8 ​million ⁠tourists.

The country is targeting 26 million visitors by 2030, when it is ⁠set ​to co-host the FIFA ​World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.